There comes a time all writers’ lives when they will eventually have to learn how to know when to stop writing a book and start a different story instead. This is never an easy or simple decision. But consider the following riddle… Once upon a time, there were two writers. Both had been writing for […]
May 11, 2011 by 32 Comments Editing Your NovelDoes Your Story Maintain Consistency in the Details?
Most authors are aware of how important it is to avoid plot holes and inconsistencies. But sometimes the little discrepancies bedevil us more than the large ones. You’d think, as authors, we would be so close to our own stories we would instantly realize the error of calling a minor character by a different name […]
April 24, 2011 by 54 Comments Editing Your NovelWhat Is a 50-Page Edit… and Why Will It Rock Your Story?
Whether or not you edit as you go really isn’t the bazillion-dollar question. The real questions you should be asking yourself are “What’s the 50-page edit?” and “Why am I not taking advantage of it yet?” Okay, so it wouldn’t take a genius to answer that the first question. The 50-page edit is pretty obviously […]
March 6, 2011 by 56 Comments Editing Your Novel3 Things I Love Lucy Can Teach You About Writing Tics
Quick, what annoying trait do writers and I Love Lucy share? In the classic episode “In Palm Springs,” Lucy and her gang drive each other up the wall with their irritating habits: Ricky’s finger tapping, Lucy’s coffee stirring, Ethel’s noisy eating, and Fred’s key jingling. Writers aren’t much different. We tap, stir, slurp, and jingle […]
February 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment Writing Life5 Writing Rules You Should Break
Today, I’m guest posting on Victoria Mixon’s blog with the post “5 Writing Rules You Should Break“: Writers and pirates have more in common than you might think. Aside from the truth that we all enjoy roaring out a hearty, “ahoy, matey,” now and then, the biggest commonality is the fact that neither of us […]
January 16, 2011 by 55 Comments Editing Your Novel10 Steps for Working Past the “This Stinks” Blues
You’ve spent months laboring over your manuscript. Long nights, early mornings, blood, sweat, tears—the whole ball of wax. This story is your darling. The words are more than just words; they’re the outbreathings of your soul. Sounds like a fairy tale—every writer’s dream come true—until one morning you boot up your computer, glance through the […]
October 3, 2010 by 65 Comments Writing LifeThe Worst Writing Advice
Not long ago, I gave my followers from Twitter and Facebook a chance to sound off on the best writing advice they’ve ever received. This week, I flipped the question on its head, and asked you all to report on the worst writing advice you’ve ever received. Some of it ranged from discouraging comments to bits […]
September 26, 2010 by 34 Comments Writing LifeThe Best Writing Advice
Because writing is an art form that can largely be learned, and because it is a craft that can always be perfected, most writers commit early on to studying to show themselves approved. We subscribe to magazines, buy books, read blogs, and attend workshops. We’re always on the hunt for that one sparkling bit of […]
August 29, 2010 by 76 Comments Editing Your NovelShould You Edit As You Go?
Authors are passionately divided on the subject of editing as you go. Should you write your first draft as fast as possible, dumping your creativity on the page while it’s still smoking hot, never stopping to tweak so much as a misspelled word until you’ve got it all safely down on paper? Or should you […]
July 14, 2010 by 24 Comments Chapter BreaksHow to Use Scene Breaks to Cut Your Story’s Fat
Avoiding excessive word count is a weighty consideration for any writer, but most particularly in order to keep unnecessary fat from weighing down your stories. Here’s a quick trick for using scene breaks to both cut the fat and make it seem like you’ve cut the fat. Fat takes many shapes, everything from repetitive dialogue to […]
